Friday, August 12, 2016

Gay-hate pastor accused of inciting violence

Roger Jimenez, pastor at Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento

In a lawsuit filed this week, Spenser Fritz says he was surrounded and assaulted by members of the
Verity Baptist Church in Sacramento as they left a sermon by the Rev. Roger Otoniel
Jimenez. You may recall that after the tragedy at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, when 49 people were murdered, Jimenez said in a sermon:

What
if you asked me, “Hey, are you sad that 50 pedophiles were killed
today?” Um, no, I think that’s great, I think that helps society. I think Orlando, Florida, is a
little safer tonight. The tragedy is that more of them didn’t die. I’m
kind of upset that he didn’t finish the job.

Fritz says that, on July 6, he was protesting outside the church with about five other people. One parishioner threatened them with a knife and another one with a gun. Another one whispered into a child's ear and then laughed when the child mimicked shooting him with a gun, Fritz says.
As the congregation left, Fritz asked them, “Why are you teaching your children violence? I don't deserve to die.”
One of the defendants Johnny Cervantes III then told him, “Don't fucking talk to my wife!” and pushed him “with great force.” Three or four other parishioners surrounded him and he called 911. Police arrived and handcuffed Fritz—of course.

This litigation is an uphill struggle. Third party liability is very hard to prosecute—as it should be. The alternative could restrain free speech. It turns out that the police came as a result of a call by a parishioner who claimed that Fritz was the physical aggressor. These good Christians have already lied to protect Mr. Cervantes.

Fritz asks the the key question. Why are these people teaching violence to their children? They seem to answer that question with more violence. These people are not exactly deep thinkers but they are very angry and apparently blame gay people for their intellectual, occupational or economic shortcomings. Perhaps they should blame their parents for their educational shortcomings. Their children will now inherit the dysfunction.